Sewing-machine needle-bar mechanism.



FUNITED STATES Fries..

ATENT EDWARD B. ALLEN, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGERMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEI/ JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE NEEDLE-BAR MCHANISNI.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent NO. 678,927, dated July 23,1901.

Application tiled January 10, 1901. Serial No. 42,747. (No model.)

To all wtmn it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSewing-MachineNeedle-Bar Mechanisms, of which the following is aspeciication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In the operation of highspeed sewing-machines there is sometimes-so muchfriction on the needle-'bar that the latter is liable to heat in itsbearings owingto the fact thatthere is a considerable amount of sidethrust on the needle-bar due to the connection of the operating-pitmantherewith at one side of a collar forming the usual connection betweenthe said pitman and the needle-bar.

This invention has for its object to avoid the side thrust referred toas far as possible, and thus lessen the friction between the needle-barand its bearing, this object being effected by a pitman connection whichis over the top of the needle-bar and the joint of which is preferablycentral with the longitudinal axis of the said needle-bar.

The invention also relates to means for continuously lubricating theneedle-bar bearing with little oil, so that danger of soiling the workby surplus oil from the needle-bar will be avoided.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front end view of the upperpart of a sewing-machine embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a sideView of the same, showing only the forward part of the arm of themachine and the parts mounted therein.

Referring to the drawings, ct denotes a portion of the arm of asewing-machine in which is mounted a rotating driving-shaft b, providedwith a crank c, connected by a link or pitman d with the needle-bar e,reciprocating in a bearing-sleeve f and carrying the usual eye-pointedneedle h. The pitman d is connect-ed to the needle-bar e directly overthe top of the latter, the joint t' between said pitman and the collarj, attached to the needlebar, being preferably central directly oversaid needle-bar and the pitman being also preferably central lengthwiseof the machine over the needle-bar, as shown in Fig. 2. The

collarj, clamped or otherwise suitably secured to the top of theneedle-bar, is provided with a single upwardly-projecting ear or lug, towhich the lowerend'of the pitman d is jointed. This constructionprovides for a light and compact connection between the said needlebarand pitman. By thus connecting the pitman to the needle-bar over the topof the latter instead of to the side of a collar secured to theneedle-bar, as has heretofore usually been done, and, more particularly,by having the joint between the pitman and the needle-bar collar centralover the top of said bar, as shown in Fig. l, side thrust on theneedle-bar is avoided, so that the needle-bar can be driven with theleast possible friction, and liability of heating of the needle-bar atthe highest speeds is likewise avoided.

In order to lubricate the needle-bar properly with the smallest possibleamount of oil, so as to avoid danger of soiling the work from anydripping of oil from the needle-bar or its bearings, the bearing-sleevef is preferably provided at its top with an annular groove it, to serveas an oil-cup, one or more oil-ducts 'm being provided to permit the oilto flow from said oil-cup to the needle-bar bearing in the said sleeve.Surrounding the needlebar and encircled by the oil-cup 7.a is a smallboss n, .which when the needle-bar rises and carries oil up with it willserve as a stripper to remove the surplus oil from the needleibar whenthe latter descends, and which oil will thus liow over the said boss andreturn to the oil-cup and will flow thence through the oil duct or ductsm and again find its way to the upper part of the needle-bar bearingwithin the sleeve f. As the lubricating-oil will thus be applied to theneedle-bar bearing near the top of the latter and as the surplus oilwill be constantly stripped from the needle-bar by the boss n, itresults that only sufficient oil will ever reach the lower part of theneedle- -bar to keep the latter'properly moistened,

and consequently no surplus oil will ever collect at the lower end ofthe needle-bar to drip down and soil the work. As a matter of fact ithas been demonstrated by practical use continued for several months thata needlebar lubricated in the manner just described will run for a longtime and be kept prop- IOO erly lubricated with only a drop or two ofoil,

the needle-bar serving` as a piston to pump the oil up and theoil-stripping boss n serving as a stripper to return the surplus oil tothe oilfcup, so that the oil may again find its Way to the needle-barbearing, and thus, as the oil will be usedv over and over agaim-a Verysmall quantity of oil will keep the needie-bar suitably lubricated for avery long time and there Will be no possibility of surplus oil drippingdown upon the Work.

The invention Will not be understood as being limited to the exactdetails herein shown and described, as the needle-bar pitman might beslightly displaced from a central position relative to the needle-bar,providing its pivoted-connection with the needle-bar collar be centralover the top of said needlebar,- withoutser-iouslydetractingfrom thevalue ofthe invention, and other slight variations mightI bemadeWit-hout departing from the spiritI of the invention. Also the inventionmight be employed in' connection with a rocking needle-bar-operatingshaft as Well as with a rotating shaft, as will be understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claimfand desire tosecureby'Letters Patent--v 1. In a sewing-machine, the combination Withthe driving-shaft b provided with the crank c, of the needle-bar eprovided at `its top with the collar j having a single,upwardlyprojcctingfearror lug, andthe pitman d connected to said crankand having a jointed connection with said ear or lug and which jointedconnection is located centrally over the top of said needle-bar.

2. In a sewing-machine, the combination with a needle-bar and itsoperating mechanism, of a bearing-sleeve Within Which said needle-barreciprocates and Which is provided at its top with an oil-cup having oneor more oil-ducts extending from said oil-cup to the upper part of theneedle-bar bearing interior of said sleeve, said sleeve having also atits top a small boss surrounding said needle-bar and encircled by saidoil-cup, said boss serving as a. stripper zto remove the'surplus oilfrom'the needle-bar-and return it tothe said oil-cup whence it ows,through said oil duct or ducts, to 'the-saidfneedle-bar bearing;

whereby ythe oil is applied to the needle-bar near the upper-partof itsbearing and surplus oil is removed from the needle-bar to be used again.

In testimony whereof l atx:I mysignaiure in presence of tWo Witnesses.

EDWARD B. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

HENRY OALVER, HENRY J. MILLER. A

